Chapter 43: The Drama Offer

Walking along the sidewalk frozen over with snow, the damp, gray-tinted sky serves as a backdrop.

Our footprints are pressed into the piled snow. The sound of people’s steps quietly sinks into the compressed snow beneath.

Glance, glance.

Everyone passing by sneaks looks at our family.

But strangely, I didn’t mind it at all.

The reason people kept stealing glances was because of our family’s attire.

I caught sight of Mom and Da-hye’s backs—Mom wrapped her checkered winter dress in a beige-toned long coat, and Da-hye’s checkered dress peeked out beneath her own coat.

Mom looked elegant in her ivory long coat, while Da-hye had given herself a cute accent with fluffy white earmuffs.

The two of them walking side by side was as beautiful as a scene from a movie.

I turned my gaze to look at Dad again.

Dad wore a dark navy suit with a deep brown coat, his tie neat and tidy.

I was also dressed in a suit like Dad.

It was the first time I’d ever worn a suit since opening my eyes in this life.

It felt awkward, but I couldn’t stop smiling from the excitement.

Why were we all so dressed up today?

Heh, today was the long-awaited day for our family photo.

Mom and Da-hye chatted warmly, going over today’s schedule.

I quietly watched my family as they talked.



“My daughter, you look so pretty today.”

“You look pretty too, Mom.”

“Sweetie, what about Dad?”

“Dad, you look super cool too.”



Most of the conversation went in the form of questions to Da-hye and her cheerful answers.

Da-hye answered her parents’ questions with a bright, innocent smile.



“Oppa, let’s take lots of pictures today.”



As we arrived near the photo studio, Da-hye turned and grinned at me as she followed behind.



“Yeah, let’s take a bunch today and hang them up at home.”

“Yay!”



Da-hye’s cheerful voice washed away any fatigue.

After walking for about another minute, we arrived at the studio.

Warmth poured out from the heater, welcoming our family.



“You must be the Yu Seung-hyun family with the photo reservation. Please come in. I’ll show you to the back.”



The photographer uncle recognized my face and welcomed us, guiding us inside.

We sat for a while in the waiting room, sipping drinks the photographer provided, waiting for our turn.



“You’ll be taking the pictures in the clothes you’re wearing today, correct?”



Once everything was set up, the photographer asked about our outfits.



“Yes, we’ll take them as we are.”



I answered as our representative.



“You’ve all dressed up so nicely, haha. Dad, please sit in the left chair, and Mom on the right of that. Daughter, sit next to your mother and hug her close, like affectionate sisters or friends. Son, please stand behind your mother.”



The photographer shifted chairs and lights around, arranging our spots.

I circled around to stand behind Da-hye.



“Could Oppa lightly place his hand on his sister’s shoulder?”



The photographer gave another instruction, looking through the camera.



“Huh? L-like this?”



The moment I heard, “Please rest your hand on your sister’s shoulder,” a strange feeling welled up from deep inside me.

I’m sure it wasn’t much different for other brothers and sisters.

Even in my past life, whenever we took a family photo and I put my hand on my younger sibling’s shoulder, there’d always be that awkward tension between us.

We’d flinch from each other, too.

That memory flickered through my mind.



Click! Click!



No matter what I was thinking, the shoot didn’t stop and continued on.



“Now, Da-hye, why don’t you hold your brother’s hand?”

“Oppa, your hand.”



At the photographer’s words, Da-hye looked up slightly and searched for my hand.



“Oh, uh. Here.”



When I firmly held her small hand, my heart tingled.

 
“This time, let’s have brother and sister hold hands. Give us a warm, affectionate feeling, please.”



How much I’d regretted, in the past, not properly holding my sister’s hand when it was time to say goodbye—never hugging her tightly and warmly when I could.

Shaking off my awkwardness, I laughed bashfully and drew Da-hye’s hand to mine, holding it tight.

Da-hye looked at me and poked my cheek; I gave a helpless smile and gently patted her head.



“One, two, three! Click! That’s great.”



We took shots exchanging glances with each other, shots with Mom and me, Dad and Da-hye in pairs.

The photo shoot went on for over an hour.

The sound of the camera shutter filled the room.



“Thank you for your hard work.”



After nearly two hours, we finally finished all the shooting.

In the waiting room, we picked out several frames and selected the photos for them, asking the studio to develop all the shots we’d taken, then left the studio.



“Mom, Dad. I’m hungry. Let’s have galbi.”



Da-hye, who’d only eaten a little for the shoot, looked up at Dad with pleading eyes.



“Hmm, isn’t it a little early for dinner?”



Dad checked his watch, glancing down at Da-hye with an uncertain face.

It was just before 5pm—still a bit early for dinner.



“Let’s have an early dinner and then go to karaoke, Dad’s favorite.”



But I couldn’t just back down here.

I sweetened the deal by suggesting karaoke, which Dad loves.



“Oh, that sounds good. Let’s do that. Everyone, let’s go eat galbi!”



Finally, Dad happily took Da-hye’s hand and led the way out.



“Honestly, you two are impossible. Son, let’s go too.”



Mom, having glared at Dad with narrowed eyes, soon let out a chuckle and followed behind with me.



‘I’m so glad everyone looks happy. I’m glad I made that family photo reservation.’



I secretly smiled and walked slowly, carefully wrapping up today’s memories and tucking them deep in my heart.

The year 1999 ended as a time full of meaning.



***



The year 2000 has dawned.

The very first thing I did in 2000 was set off with my family to Jeongdongjin, watching the sun rise over the sea and making a wish.

I wished with all my heart for Da-hye’s health and happiness.

After that, I became the youngest registered business owner in Korea.

Maybe I’m wrong, but as far as I know, nobody else this age—seventeen—has started a business in this era.

Da-hye turned thirteen and moved up to sixth grade, and to celebrate, we bought her a cellphone.

I shed my red school uniform and donned a navy one.

Tae-ho moved away and put on a gray school uniform, while Dae-sik entered a famous high school known for accepting only the region’s top students.

The three of us were separated, but we stayed in touch by cellphone.

Oh, and you’re wondering about Kim Yoo-ah?

Just like in my previous life, she went to the second-ranked high school for smart kids.

Next, we sold off Saerom Technology, earning 130 times our initial investment, and cleared out all our other holdings as well.

Mom and Dad turned 2 million won into 260 million won.

Da-hye, at twelve years old, suddenly had 130 million won.

I had 3.9 billion, which I poured entirely into LeadCorp.

Mom, Dad, and Da-hye also followed me and invested everything in LeadCorp.

Our average buy-in price was 1,500 won, and by March, the stock price reached 139,000 won.

A record 40 consecutive limit-ups.

Our family sold everything at an average of 120,000 won, reaping massive profits.

The average return for our family was about 80 times.

Mom and Dad’s assets instantly shot past 20 billion won, while Da-hye became a cash-rich girl with over 10 billion won.

My own fortune soared to 300 billion.

Dad went to an auction and bought two apartments in Gangnam, then spread out all remaining cash, except for a 1 billion emergency fund, into stocks I recommended.

Da-hye bought a good commercial property near Gwacheon outright in cash, and put the rest into stocks.

I bought part of the land in Seocho District where Ilsung Town would be built, and acquired land in Dongtan New Town destined to become a department store and a landmark apartment complex.

It’s land that will see department store giants battle for dominance.

In 2004, the land cost 50,000 won per square meter, but by 2009, it soared to 5,200,000 won.

About a 100-fold increase.

The profit is astounding.

I bought it for just 40,000 won per square meter.

That barren field will someday become a major city—it’s amazing to think about.

At this point, I realized just how important knowledge is.

When you combine knowledge and money, making money is so easy.

Of course, I only used this knowledge for my family, never sharing it with anyone else.

My busy first year of high school went by fairly smoothly.

If there was any complication, it was having to adapt to completely new classmates, instead of friends from my previous life.

Every so often, I’d step in to stop some kid bullying a friend and end up tangled in a fight.

That kid’s punch was something else—I ended up with a huge bruise on my face, which made Dad furious.

Dad stormed into the school and forced the kid who bullied my friend and hit me to transfer.

The boy’s family seemed quite wealthy—they tried to settle it with Dad for money, but Dad said this:



‘Do you know where that money should go? Spend it on fixing your kid’s character. Don’t think you can settle everything with a few bills—have your son kneel and apologize to all the kids he hurt.’



That one remark moved my heart.

Things I’d never even imagined in my previous life.

It’s not the title that makes the man, but money makes the man—that saying might be true.

Having money brings peace of mind and broadens your horizons.

I couldn’t help but say something to Dad then.



Dad, please keep living with your head high and your shoulders back, just as you are now.

I’m happy as long as you’re by my side.



From then on, my high school life became much easier. I wrote what I wanted, and rowed steadily toward my own success.

That’s how my third novel came out to the world.

The title was “Living on Rent at the Chairman’s House.”

It’s about an eccentric protagonist moving into a conglomerate chairman’s family as a tenant, getting entangled with the family in unpredictable daily life, their quick-witted banter, misunderstandings and confrontations revealing surprising moves at every turn.

Sometimes the protagonist turns a rival company’s trap back on them and makes them surrender.

It’s the story of a legendary tenant who rises to iconic status among the rich and powerful.

I couldn’t stretch the story beyond 10 volumes due to lack of material, but I managed to finish it at 10 volumes.

And the response—



┗ Among fantasy web novels these days, this setting is genuinely ingenious.

┗ What kind of MC moves into the chairman’s house on rent after losing his own home, lol? Never would have imagined.

┗ The idea of paying rent with schemes is crazy. This could be seriously fun.

┗ This protagonist is driving me nuts, hahaha.

┗ He talks like a lunatic but is actually a genius—love it.

┗ The scene where he out-talks the chairman is so satisfying.

┗ Another modern fantasy from Unreal Oppa you can trust. I used to only read territory management or wuxia, but thanks to this author, I’m hooked on modern fantasy.



It didn’t generate as much buzz as my first work, but reader reactions were much better.

And not long after, I received an email from a publisher.



─ Hello, Author. This is Deputy Editor Oh Ju-seon from Mideum Publishing. The reason I’m writing is that we’d like to adapt your “Living on Rent at the Chairman’s House” into a drama......



“...... My god.”



Seeing the email, I stared at my monitor for a long time, frozen.

This was in the autumn of 2000.